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Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern 



United States. 

 Higher Fungi: Ascomycetes, Deuteromycetes, 



and Basidiomyeetes 



A. R. CAVALIERE' 



ABSTRACT 



This manual provides an illustrated key and alphabetical listing, with brief descriptions, of 

 common genera of higher marine fungi in the classes Ascomycetes, Deuteromycetes (Fungi Imperfec- 

 ti), and a single member of the Basidiomyeetes. A glossary and selected bibliography complement the 

 key. Information on methods of harvesting, incubation, and studying these fungi is also included. 



INTRODUCTION 



This manual is a guide to the genera of higher marine 

 fungi that inhabit the intertidal zone of the Atlantic 

 waters extending from North Carolina to Nova Scotia. 

 Keys, descriptions, and illustrations are included for 

 genera of Ascomycetes, Deuteromycetes (Fungi 

 Imperfecti), and a single member of the Basidiomyeetes. 

 Less conspicuous saline forms of zoosporic fungi, the so- 

 called marine Phycomycetes, as well as parasitic fungi, 

 amoeboid forms, and those inhabiting the intestinal 

 tract of arthropods, are not included in this account. In 

 addition, species of higher fungi are excluded which have 

 been reported only once or are rare or inconspicuous in 

 the mycological flora. 



Fungi inhabiting the saline environment appear to be 

 cosmopolitan in distribution with only a few species hav- 

 ing been shown to be endemic to one particular region. 

 Some members of the marine mycoflora which are 

 tropical, however, tend to be associated only with 

 mangrove communities or other phanerogams which are 

 restricted to warmer waters. 



METHODS OF HARVESTING 

 AND STUDYING 



Marine Ascomycetes, Basidiomyeetes, and Fungi 

 Imperfecti occur as saprophytes on driftwood, cordage, 

 and other cellulosic material, or as weak parasites in- 

 festing dying specie.s of marine phanerogams or algae. 

 Various plant parts, grass culms, driftwood, and algae 

 are best collected along the shore at low tide and kept 

 submerged in a container of seawater until studied. 

 Fungi may also be induced to grow on substrates in- 

 troduced into the seawater. A '4 -inch hole is drilled 

 through the center of small, 4X6 inch panels of various 



'Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325. 



kinds of wood. These are then attached, in linear fashion, 

 to a knotted, polyethylene or nylon line and submerged 

 at or below the low tide limit for a 2-4 mo period. When 

 panels are harvested, they are scraped of all macroscopic 

 fouling organisms and rinsed in seawater. They are then 

 examined for fungal growth and/or incubated individual- 

 ly for an additional period of one to several months in 

 sterile, dry, air-tight aquaria or other glass containers. 

 Several methods of harvesting and incubating lignicolous 

 fungi are described in the literature. 



Ascocarps, dense mycelial growth as well as conidial 

 clusters, are located with a dissecting scope utilizing a 

 high intensity light source. Conidial heads may also be 

 located by placing thin strips of substrate in a drop of 

 seawater on a slide and observing the preparation direct- 

 ly under a compound microscope. Semipermanent 

 mounts are made by placing fruiting structures into a 

 drop of lactophenol (20 g phenol crystals; 20 g lactic acid; 

 40 g glycerol; 20 g distilled water; 0.01 g cotton blue or 

 acid fuchsin) or Hoyer's medium (made by soaking 30 g 

 of flake gum arable in 50 ml of distilled water for 24 h, 

 dissolving 200 g of chloral hydrate into the mixture, and 

 then stirring in 20 ml of glycerol. Allow the mixture to 

 settle before using.) When examining ascocarps or pyc- 

 nidial structures, it is best to crush the fruiting bodies to 

 expose the centrum. This is best accomplished by lightly 

 tapping the cover slip with the handle end of a dissecting 

 needle or the eraser end of a pencil. Spores of several of 

 the marine species have gelatinous appendages which are 

 best observed in a seawater mount under reduced light 

 intensity or by phase contrast microscopy. Gelatinous 

 appendages are deliquescent in most cases, short-lived, 

 and, unfortunately, not retained satisfactorily in any 

 known mounting medium. 



Pure cultures of marine Ascomycetes and Fungi 

 Imperfecti are initiated by introducing spores or centrum 

 cells from several ascocarps onto low nutrient level, 

 seawater agar media and incubating at room 

 temperature. Kirk (1969) offers the most useful account 



